Box for washing material for concrete



2 sheetssheet 1.

(No Model.)

No. 340,484. Patented Apr. 20, 11886.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. W. 041114100.. BOX FOR WASHING MATERIAL FOR GONGRBTE. No. 340,484.v

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. Z0, 1886.

D DEDDDEDDDDE' WI TJV'ESSES .Alfter-nay titre Sterns THOMAS W. OARRICO, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

BOX FOR WASHING MATERIAL FOR CONCRETE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,484, dated April 20, 1886.

Application tiled September 21, 1885. Serial No. 177,731. 'No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that l, THoMAs W. CARRIco, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the couuty of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boxes for W'ashing Aggregate or Ron gh Material for Making Concrete, of which the following is so full, clear, and exact a description as will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a means which will facilitate the thorough washing of the greatest quantity of gravel or stones, (for the manufacture of concrete wallfblocks) &c., in the shortest possible time and with the least expense of labor, and to enable me to use a comparatively small quantity of water. I attain this object by the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth in the annexed speciicatiou, which is to be taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my box equipped with grates, die. Fig. 2 is a top view, and Fig. 3 is a modification showing three grates. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views ofthe waysin which I may construct my grates. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail end view of one of the grates. Fig. 8 is a top viewof a modification showing a construction which', would enable four men to work at one box.

The main box is designated by the letter A, which box may bevmade water-tight, of wood or cast or wrought iron, or it may be made of wrought lumber and lined with sheet metal, as will be explained hereinafter. I prefer to make the bottom double-z'. e., of two thicknesses of lu mber-either parallel or at an angle to each other. This box is provided at its ends with cleats A2 A2, and it is also provided in the center with a secondary cleat, A,as shown in Fig. l. Inside of the box, at each side of the center, I place the inclined grates B B,the upper ends of which rest on the cleats A2 A2,

while their lower ends are supported by the cleat A. It will be observed that this cleat A is provided with a groove, A3, .and that each of the cleats A2 A2 is also provided with a groove, A2 A2. It will also be observed that the grates BBare beveled at their outer edges in such a manner as to form a perfect joint Where they meet at the lower edges in the groove A3.

In practice I find it desirable to form my grates with straight bars b b, and I prefer to arrange them in the box with these bars eX- tending parallel with the sides of the box A. Still I do not wish to limit myself to this arrangement, as it is obvious that the grates B B might be made square andthus readily reversible, and would facilitate the arranging of them either lengthwise or across the box A. It will be readily understood that these grates might be made of bars crossing each other at right or acute angles, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In constructing my device I generally employ iron grates, but I do not wish t-o confine myself to the use of iron, as other material (as wood) might be employed to advantage under certain circumstances.

By constructing the grates, as shown in detail in Fig. 7, with the bottoms of the bars b b on a level with the tops of the cross-pieces b b', it will add greatly to the advantages of my device, as the stones will then slide freely off from the grates B B to the grate C shown in the modification.

In the modification illustrated by Fig. 3 I

provide two cleats, A2 A2, and place the-grate C in the center of the box on these rests with the bars b2 parallel with the bars b on the grates B B. Of course this might be turned onequarter around, and the bars b2 would be at right angles to the bars b. The box A is preferably metal-lined throughout with sheets D D, and provided with an opening, d, for the escape of the water.

It will be readily observed that the cleats A2 A2 and A keep the bars from touching the inner lining of the box.

The grates are made slightly narrower than the inside of the box, and the cleats may be provided with slight projections f f at their ends to prevent the grates from coming into contact with the interior of the box A.

When 'it is found that the stones or gravel are very dirty and require an extra amount of washing, a cross-piece, E, may be placed across IOO the lower end of the grate and held in place by pins E in the holes E2 in the grates, and when the stones have been thoroughly washed the cross-pieces E may be removed and the stones allowed to roll down.

Instead of the pins and holes above mentioned, the cross-bars vE E might be held in place in the box by braces, and these braces would be easily knocked up from the crosspieces when it was desired to remove them.

For convenieneein removing the grates they may be provided with the handles h h; or, in` stead, a hook may be used.

The operation is as follows: The stones,

. brickbats, shells, granite spalls, or gravel are placed on the grating B B at the center or their upper outer ends, and a stream of water is thrown over them or upon it, while the material to be washed is turned and stirred by a fork or shovel until it is free from mud, dust, sand, or other foreign substance.

Where there is a scarcity of water, the box may be filled with water, the hole d closed, and the same water may be used to wash several batches, so to speak, of the material.

It will be readily understood that by the construction shown the washingv may be rapidly done, as a man might work at each end of the box and one at each side, if desired, the -two end men to shovel the material onto the grates, and to stir it while one of the side nien operated a hose, playing a stream of water on the material, as the other side man "shoveled the cleaned material out of the box;

or it' the box be iilled with water the hose may be dispensed with and all four men work on the material.

When, the dirt, sand, 8vo., settle and aecumulate in the box, remove the grating, shovel out the dirt, sand, te., refill the box with clean water, and replacev the grates, and the entire operation may be repeated.

The advantages to be enjoyed by the em` ployment of my construction are numerous, as will be readily understood by builders; but I Wish to mention here one of the main advantages, which is the saving of water. In

many places water has to be drawn quite a long distance, and is consequently quite expensive; hence it is desirable to use the same water in washing several batches of the soiled material. This can be done thoroughly and successfully with my box, for the following reasons: First, the dirt and sand will all drop through to the bottom of the box; second, all stirring of the material with a shovel or fork will only agitate the water above the grating, so that the mud in the bottom does not become mixed with the stones, which would keep them dirty. In the usual way of washing them in a heap they are simply turned over and over in their own mud, and the water is Wasted at once. Even a box or tank which would hold and save the water would be defective without the grating, as the stones would then lie right in the mud which had fallen from them, all of which will be readily understood without further explanation.

I claim- 1. The box A, in combination with the beveled-edged grates B B, arranged within the box and inclined toward each other toward the center of the box,substantially as set forth.

2. .The box A, having opening d, to let out the water under the grating, in combination with the inclined grating, which is arranged within the box in an inclined position with the central portion depressed or lowered to cause the material to roll toward the center while being washed, substantially as set forth.

3. The box A and the inclined grating, in combination with the cross-pieces E on top of the grating. and supports therefor, substantially as set forth.

4. The box A, in combination with the two end sections of inclined grating, and the cert tral flat horizontally-extended grating C, arranged within the box between the inclined grates, substantially as set forth.

5. The herein-described metal-lined box, having the inclined grating inside ofthe box, arranged as described, with the bars of the grating inclined toward the center of the box, in combination with the cleats which support the same, and the hole d, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THoMAs w. oARRioo.

Vitnesses:

W. A. BONYNGE, W. J. DONOVAN. 

